


i saw forever the moment i met you

by cinderfell



Series: we'll take what comes [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Like So Sappy And Sweet You're Going To Have To Check In With Your Dentist After, Marriage Proposal, Percy Makes Everything Way More Complicated Than It Needs To Be, Plans For The Future, Post-Canon, Sappy Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 06:29:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderfell/pseuds/cinderfell
Summary: A running trend that Percy has discovered during the course of his relationship with Vex is that more often than not, his plans end up going so wrong that they loop back around to going right.





	i saw forever the moment i met you

**Author's Note:**

> title nabbed from "good love lingers on" by archis which is... a very, very good perc'ahlia song if you want to cry about them.

Percy has a problem and that problem’s name is Vex’ahlia.

Admittedly, she’s a very lovely problem to have-- and he wouldn’t trade her for the world-- but she’s a problem nonetheless.

The Vex’ahlia Problem is that she’s clever and beautiful and-- for some reason beyond his comprehension-- she’s in love with him despite his numerous flaws and, more often than not, his thoughts are utterly consumed by her; in the past couple of months, many of these thoughts have shifted to ones of them many years from now, still together.

Now, Percy isn’t exactly surprised that he’s ended up here. He’s known how serious his feelings are for Vex for ages and ages and ages-- long before he kissed her in the woods, long before he ever heard her confession break through the veil of death. He’s vaguely entertained the thought that they’ll still be together in the years to come, but never… explicitly. Never this frequently. And with a good two years of a stable and loving relationship under their belt? Well, it’s hard not to think about it.

(Them, years from now, laughter lines beginning to appear on both of them-- even him, much to his own surprise. Vex with a silver ring on her finger, topped with a… diamond? No, no, not just a diamond. They’re lovely, but just one by itself is not Vex. With sapphires, perhaps? Yes, sapphires. Blue like the feathers she used to wear in her hair, blue like the walls she chose for their bedroom, blue like the flowers she grows in front of her manor.)

(Them, years from now, trailed by a dark-haired child with slightly pointed ears; or maybe two, or three, or four. They’re almost always girls. He’s not sure why, but it seems right.

Him, gently lifting one up onto his workbench and letting her watch him build a toy. Vex, slowly teaching one the paths she’s walked through the woods hundreds of times now, instilling her love and respect for the wilderness into their children. The both of them, curled up in bed together with one of their girls between them, taking turns reading aloud as they lull her to sleep after a nightmare.

And perhaps their children will be luckier than them, he can’t help but hope. Luckier than all of them. Percy doesn’t pray, but if he did he’d pray that his children would live a life with nightmares few and far between, unlike their parents and their uncles and aunts.)

(Them, years from now, Vex’s wild and dark hair finally starting to streak with white years past when a human woman’s would, with him at her side-- already gone white at an early age, but while his facial hair stayed brown it now follows, turning gray. She’d look younger than him, of course, despite the fact that she has a handful of years on him. Half-elves and human, afterall.

He’d brush out the tangles in her hair, like he sometimes does even now. She’ll read to him outloud when his eyes have gone beyond the help of his glasses. He’ll still make her things, even if he has to fight the shaking in his hands as he tinkers, if only to see the joy light up in her face when he give it to her.)

(They would be happy, he thinks.)

So, with these thoughts in mind, it’s only fair that he does something about it.

So he does.

The ring is the easy part, he decides. He contacts the family jeweler and it’s finished in no time. His mother’s ring did survive the Briarwoods, miraculously, but it’s not… it’s not Vex. It’s gold and encrusted with diamonds and it’s pretty, but it’s not _Vex_. He’ll leave Johanna’s ring for Cassandra if she ever wishes to use it.

(And gods, _Cassandra_ , he has to tell Cassandra. But what if Vex says no and he has to explain to her that there won’t actually be a wedding? What then? Uh, well, perhaps he’ll wait to tell Cass until after he’s secured an answer from Vex. No need to cause any unnecessary stress in that area.)

That said, there is somebody he needs to tell; somebody he needs to ask something of, if only as a formality.

“Are you asking for my permission?” Vax asks with a raised eyebrow when Percy corners him the next time he stops in on Whitestone. They stand in an empty hallway just off the library, Percy having caught Vax mid-walk and wasting no time getting down to business.

“No,” Percy responds firmly, because that’s something he wants to make clear. “I only want permission from one person when it comes to this, and despite your many similarities you are, in fact, separate people.” Vax snorts, and Percy takes that as a good sign. “No, Vax, I don’t want your permission to ask for Vex’s hand in marriage. But I do,” he takes a long breath, “want your approval, if that is something you are willing to give.”

“My approval?” Vax repeats, looking a bit thrown for a loop.

“Yes,” Percy says, running his tongue across his bottom lip nervously. “Despite our ups and downs-- and we have had many of both-- you are still one of my closest friends, and you’re Vex’s other half. If she says yes, I’ll still marry her with or without your approval, but I would… very much enjoy if it was something you willingly gave.”

Vax looks him over for a long moment-- his sharp, dark eyes a mirror of his twin’s, in the same way that he mirrors her in so many other ways-- as if he’s trying to bore holes through Percy’s heart and soul and see what truly lies there, and it makes Percy downright uncomfortable. The twins have that effect, both of them, although he’s far more used to Vex by now. Finally, Vax says, “You know, I wasn’t sure of you two at first.”

“I know,” Percy says, and clasps his hands together in front of him to hide the small tremors now running through them. “And I don’t blame you.”

“Especially after the tomb,” Vax continues, still studying Percy closely. “I knew you two fancied each other for a while-- at least, I suspected it-- but I was scared you’d hurt her again.”

“I would never purposely hurt her,” he cuts in.

“I know that now,” Vax assures, his eyes softening. “I had my doubts, but I’ve seen the way you two are around each other. How you two have changed because of each other. Percival, I think, despite your flaws, you are a good man--”

Percy can’t help but bark out a surprised laugh at that. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Shut up and take the compliment, you fuck,” Vax snaps, but there’s a good-natured upwards tug at the corner of his lips. “You’re a good man, and I think you’re good for her, and she’s good for you. I had my lingering doubts, but with time you washed them all away.” He clears his throat. “Of course I approve.”

Percy opens his mouth to reply and promptly closes it, clearing his throat. “Thank you. You have… no idea how much that means, Vax.”

“I think I do,” he replies, and there’s an underlying softness beneath it that tugs at Percy’s heart. They’ve both gone through a lot, and their friendship has weakened and strengthened in so many ways since they met in that jail in Stillben, but despite all of it they’ve found a brother in each other. Insufferable and prone to arguments, yes, but brothers nonetheless. Vax rubs his hands together. “So, let’s not beat around the bush, yeah? Let’s see what you got her.”

Percy pulls out the ring and Vax whistles.

It’s a silver band with three shining stones atop it, two smaller sapphires flanking an impressively large diamond. The band itself has what appears to the untrained eye to be runes or glyphs engraved all the way around, but the engraving is specific. Celestial.

_My heart is yours._

“Be careful, Percival. You might want to ease my sister into the whole proposal thing-- I fear if you just whip this thing out with no warning of what’s to come, she’ll keel over from shock.”

Percy laughs, tucking the ring back into his pocket. “I will keep that in mind.”

“I’m going to hug you now,” Vax declares, stepping forward with his arms outstretched.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Percy says, even as he allows the shorter man to wrap his arms around him and squeeze.

It isn’t the worst thing Percy’s ever experienced.

* * *

There are quite a few times when he almost asks her. They come and go over the next few weeks, each opportunity presenting itself to him only for it to immediately get blown away by something or another. Other times when he almost asks, he holds himself back.

This is… this is an important event. This is one of the most important questions he’ll ever ask anyone in his life. There’s no need to rush things, he decides; no need to latch onto a moment that isn’t perfect just to get it out of the way. At the heart of the matter, this is for Vex and he wants nothing but the best for her in all things. This can be nothing short of perfection.

He _almost_ asks her while they lay in bed together one night, holding her loosely against his chest where she fell after they finished. He smooths his hands down her back, traces endearments in Celestial along her arms.

“I love you so much,” she says, half-muffled by the way she’s smushed her face against his chest. “And not just because of the amazing sex.”

He snorts. “I should hope that’s not all of it, although I’d be lying if I said I hoped it didn’t play a part at all.”

Vex laughs at that and buries her face against him even more. “Oh no, it definitely plays a hefty part.”

It’s his turn to laugh. They fall into silence. It’s comfortable, the kind of silence that only comes after years of familiarity and understanding. Finally, he says, “I never thought I’d love anybody the way I love you.”

He winces at his own words, the raw honesty in his voice. But still, he thinks, the ring is just across the room, in his coat pocket. He could get up, go get it, ask her now. It almost feels perfect in a way he’s never felt before, a kind of perfection that can only exist when he holds the woman he loves in his arms and they’re both content.

“Mm love you so much,” Vex mumbles in response, already half-asleep. She snuggles closer to him and he can-- he can feel it. He can physically feel the moment slipping away from him, trailing through his fingers and drifting away.

After a moment Percy sighs, craning his neck to kiss the top of her head before pulling the blankets up over them and wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly as if he’s afraid that if he lets go she’ll vanish. He pushes thoughts of the ring and the question aside for now. There will be other times, other chances. This is not it; this is a time meant for the gentle breathing of Vex as she falls asleep in his arms and the warmth of her skin against his.

The next day, Cassandra gives him a _look_ at breakfast.

“What?” he asks eventually after he catches her staring twice. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” Cassandra says, taking a sip of her tea. “I’m just wondering if you have any news to share, that’s all.”

He raises an eyebrow. “No? At least, I don’t think so.”

She purses her lips together, looking disappointed.

Percy doesn’t think about that much, mostly because Vax arrives later in the day and corners him at the first chance he gets.

“So,” Vax says casually, and Percy already knows what he’s going to ask.

“So,” Percy repeats.

“You asked her yet?” he asks, crossing his arms and glancing down the hallway they’re standing in, obviously keeping an eye out for anybody who may overhear them.

“I’m waiting for the right time,” Percy says, and Vax snorts.

“Careful, Percival. If I remember correctly, you and Vex both waited for the ‘right time’ to act on your feelings and that time only presented itself after you’d both died.” Vax eyes him over from head to toe. “I’d prefer if this entire thing manages to go down with minimal fatalities.”

“Well, I can’t promise that,” Percy responds dryly.

Vax rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean. Look, I’m just saying that no matter how long you wait for some coveted right time, something is always going to throw a wrench into the whole thing. You just have to do it. You’re already an impulsive fuck, you might as well put it to good use for once.”

Percy shakes his head. “There will be a right time. There has to. This needs to be perfect for her.”

Vax lets out a frustrated groan. “Gods, fine, just try to find your right time before we all die of old age.”

* * *

“Take a walk with me?” Vex asks him a few weeks after, the way she sometimes does when she gets antsy and needs to get away from the city and her duties but wants company. She’s fidgety and restless, shifting from one foot to the other as she waits for his answer, hands shoved deep into her pockets. She’s had a lot of work recently negotiating with Syngorn over some trade agreements and he can’t blame her for wanting to get away for a little while, even if they have to return in a couple of hours.

He feels it in his bones that _this_ is the right time.

“Of course,” he says instantly, getting up from where he sits at his desk in their room. “Let me just grab my coat and we can go.”

The ring secured in his pocket and a gun at his side, the two set out into the woods. They carry Fenthras and Retort with them (Vex having ‘disposed’ of Animus not long after she realized that it hurt him psychically when it misfired), if only for protection. He can already tell from the way Vex moves that she’s not in a hunting mood, the restless energy practically making her vibrate as they walk.

She leads them down a path they’ve walked many times since she became Grand Mistress, the woods of Whitestone now practically as much of a home to her as the city itself. The path doesn’t exist in the traditional sense, not like some of the common hunting paths the local trappers and huntsmen walk where they’ve worn down the ground until there’s a clear walking space, but instead she leads them through an area that’s still heavily wooded and appears nearly untouched saved for certain breaks in the foliage where animals stepped through. They’re usually so careful walking out this way. Vex tries her best not to disturb the deep woods like this area too much.

They make small talk on their way through but mostly they remain quiet. The silence does nothing to ease Percy’s nerves, in fact he can feel himself getting more and more anxious the longer it goes on as they walk together. Finally, he snaps.

“I have something I need to talk to you about,” he starts, and Vex almost flinches next to him as he breaks their silence, his voice much louder than he meant it to be.

“I-- uh, you do?” There’s a slight waver to her voice, and in any other circumstance he’d pay it more attention, but he’s too wound up to think more about it.

“Yes, yes, I do.” He takes a few steps forward until he’s walking ahead of her, biting down on his bottom lip. He doesn’t-- gods, but he has no idea how to go about doing this.

Her voice is very small as she says, “I have something to say too. After you’re done.”

He’s only vaguely aware of Vex’s presence behind him, partially because of the quiet way she manages to navigate the woods and partially because of his own loud footsteps, and from how loud he is he’s half-convinced he’s stepping on every branch and snagging against ever bush as he walks. He’s too nervous to dedicate energy to staying quiet, something she seems to do effortlessly. His own heartbeat pounds loudly in his own head like the firing of a gun and he hopes that with all her perception that she can’t hear it.

He opens his mouth to speak and-- shit. _Shit_. He had a speech planned out, because of course he did, but suddenly he can’t remember a damn thing about it.

Oh gods, he’s going to have to wing it.

“I’ve been thinking a lot recently,” he starts, and is that an okay way to start? He has no idea. “About the future of Whitestone. And the future of its people, including us.” Yes, yes. He was going to say something along these lines. Something more eloquent than this, surely, but it’s in the right area. “And I know-- ah, I know that a long time ago I mentioned that I thought we were the right people in the right place at the right time, and I still stand by that. In fact, after everything we’ve done and everything we’ve survived it’s only been solidified in my mind that we both belong here, and that we belong to a grander scheme for the future of Whitestone than we could possibly know right now--”

“Percy,” Vex says softly behind him, and she’s always been so good at reading him and in the back of his panicked mind he can’t help but wonder if she’s picking up on how badly he’s frightened and fumbling right now as he tries to get the words out-- any words at this point, any words that’ll put him on the right path.

“I just think there’s a lot both of us still have to do. A lot of potential.”

“Percy--”

His voice raises as he speaks, his words coming out faster and almost slurred as he tries to work past the burning weight in his right coat pocket.

“And I wanted to make this place a home again but it didn’t really feel that way until you got here, and now it feels like there’s so many things opening up in front of us and I’m not quite sure what to do with that--”

“Percival--”

“- but I know I shouldn’t be running from it or hiding like I’ve done with everything else that’s scared me and _gods_ , I’m more scared about this than I’ve been about anything in my life and maybe that’s a bad sign or maybe it means that there’s something wrong with me,” he’s rambling down, trying to push his way through whatever this is to get to what he needs to, and the ring is like an anchor in his pocket, “but I still see something ahead of me and it’s because of you and I’m terrified but I don’t know what else to do but move towards it and--”

“PERCIVAL!”

He snaps around to look at her when she yells out his name, and nearly faints once his brain catches up to his eyes and starts connecting the scene in front of him together, making sense of what he’s seeing. Vex has fallen onto one knee, her face flushed and eyes slightly too bright as she holds out a small, golden ring inlaid with pieces of what he instantly recognizes as whitestone.

What was it that Vax had said about simply whipping out a ring and Vex passing out from shock?

Well, he’d been close. Wrong person, as it turns out.

Percy doesn’t pass out from shock, however, although he comes damn close.

“Percival,” she says again, voice barely above a whisper as she looks up at him. The hand that holds up the ring is trembling harder than he’s ever seen before. “W-will you…” The question dies in her throat, breaking off as she seems hear the shake in her own voice. She clears her throat and tries again, voice slightly more even but with a little tremor running through it still. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Percy.”

Percy stares, his penchant for words evading him. “I…”

She bites down on her bottom lip, hard enough where he’s momentarily worried she’ll draw blood. “Marry me, Percy.”

Vex is a roaring thunderstorm of emotion, loud and unapologetic, but suddenly she looks very frightened of what she’s doing, what she’s saying; unsure of herself around him in a way he’s only ever seen her in a different set of woods-- years ago now-- right before everything between them swung into motion-- but in truth, he thinks they have been moving together long before either of them realized, before either of them even dared to dream of it. Vex looks as scared as he feels, and suddenly it’s enough to undo him where he stands.

He laughs.

He laughs and a part of him knows that he shouldn’t, because Vex won’t take it the right way, but he can’t help it. He reaches up to cover his mouth, loud and bordering on hysterical, as he tries to stifle the noise. Vex’s face begins to pale, predictably, and he instantly tries to put himself back together so he doesn’t frighten her more.

Percy steps right up to where she still kneels, her brown eyes full of confusion, before he pulls the ring out of his pocket and falls to one knee in front of her. Vex’s eyes go impossibly wide as he holds it out to her, just an inch away from where she holds her own ring. And-- well, suddenly it looks as if Vex is about to keel over at the sight and, well, Percy guesses he probably should’ve listened to Vax on that one but this whole situation is ridiculous to him and he finds that he can’t be bothered to care.

“ _Oh_ ,” Vex says finally, her voice very small.

“Oh,” Percy agrees, and his hand is shaking so bad but it’s okay because hers is too. “This is quite a predicament we’ve found ourselves in, Vex’ahlia.”

“Did you-- did you come out here with me to propose? Was that what you were trying to work up to just now?” She looks absolutely baffled, like he knocked her off-kilter.

“Did _you_ bring me out here so you could propose?” he asks, unable to stop the grin of disbelief spreading across his face.

“I-- I thought it would be a good idea since we first got together in the woods, albeit a different one,” she says, shaking her head in bewilderment as the corners of her trembling lips slowly tilt upwards.

He laughs again, voice almost hoarse now. “We had the same idea then, because when you said you wanted to go for a walk I knew that it had to happen now.”

Vex echoes him with a shaky little giggle before she wets her lips, practically beaming now. Her eyes are red-rimmed with poorly held-back tears and Percy would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a similar wetness gathering in his own eyes. “Well, I’m so sorry that I ruined you plan.”

“You did, but I think we’re even because I ruined yours too.” He reaches up to cup her cheek and brush a stray tear from her face with his thumb before it can fall anymore than it has. She tilts her head and leans in against his touch, still looking at him with the softest expression he’s ever seen in his life. “Also I sort of hijacked your proposal in the first place, so this is a little bit more my fault than yours.”

She shakes her head frantically and reaches up to cover the hand he still holds her face with using her own. “No, no, it’s fine.” She clears her throat. “So, I think we both have our answers then.”

“I want to hear you say it anyways,” he says softly.

“I want to hear you say it too,” she agrees. After a long moment of silence where both of them wait, Vex whacks him light-heartedly on the shoulder. “You haven’t actually asked me yet and I have! You say it first!”

He laughs, trying to ignore the little trails of wetness down his cheeks. “Of course. Yes, of course I’ll marry you, Vex’ahlia. There’s nobody else I’ve ever imagined by my side.”

She smiles and holds the ring out to him and he raises his hand for her. She slides it onto him with shaking fingers. It fits beautifully, the whitestone looking right at home on his hand. “Now ask me.”

“Vex’ahlia, dearest,” he begins, trying to summon any scraps of what he prepared and coming up blank. Well, fuck it then. “There are… very few times when I’m at a loss for words, and this is one of them. So with that in mind, all I can ask is just… marry me? Spend whatever time we have together and build up a life that our past selves never thought that we’d have, never thought that we’d deserve.”

“You and I have very different definitions of ‘loss for words’, apparently,” she murmurs with a smile. “Yes, Percy. I want that, and I’ve only ever wanted that with you.”

“I’m just winging it. I had an entire speech planned out for this moment but when I actually got here I forgot all of it,” Percy admits as he slides the ring onto her.

“Same here.” She holds her hand up and admires the way the setting sunlight leaking in through the trees plays off the jewels, face flushed red and streaming with tears as she’s fully given up on holding them back. “If anything, this seems like a good reminder from the universe not to make plans because we’ll just end up having to throw them out the window once we actually get there.”

“It’s the Vox Machina way,” he says, and she laughs so hard at that she has to clamp a hand over her mouth to quiet it. “No, no, here--”

He gently moves her hand away from her mouth, a string of giggles still coming from her, before he cups her face with both his hands and kisses her. His lips are slightly chapped against hers, soft and warm and _Vex_. Her giggles die down as she melts into the kiss and puts her arms around his neck.

After a moment he withdraws, resting his forehead against hers, his hands still cupping her face. “I’m going to have to tell Cassandra.”

Vex suddenly starts to laugh again, and at this point he pulls back to give her a confused but affectionate look.

“Why are you laughing now?” he asks.

“You don’t-- you don’t have to worry about Cass.” When his eyebrows scrunch together she laughs harder. She pulls back a hand to touch his and finds his ring finger, tapping at where the ring she slid onto him is. “Who do you think helped me comission this?”

“Oh,” is all Percy says, because suddenly his sister’s looks and disappointment at his lack of news click into place and it _makes sense_.

“Yeah,” she says, laughter quieting down as her smile softens. “We do have to tell _my_ sibling though.”

“Ah, no we don’t.” He grins then.

“Oh,” she says.

“Oh,” he agrees.

“So-- so I guess we just need to update them on the fact that we both said yes?” Vex gives a bemused little shrug, and the look she has on her face is so cute that he wants to kiss her for it.

So he does.

* * *

Vax rarely sits down for tea when he visits Whitestone, however today is a day with many exceptions. When a messenger finds him tidying up the little shrine to his Queen and passes on a message from the castle, he has no choice but to immediately hunt down Cassandra, the little note with nothing but a few words folded up and tucked into his pocket.

_I think it’s happening._

When he finds her, she’s sitting at her desk in her office with a tea set and fresh biscuits in front of her, patiently waiting for him. She motions for him to sit across from her and he wastes no time unceremoniously plopping down in the chair.

“You think so?” he asks, not even bothering with a greeting.

She nods. “Vex told me yesterday that she was going to try again in the next few days. I instructed the guards that patrol near her estate to send word if they left anywhere together and I got a message not long ago that they disappeared into the woods together.”

“You’re right, it definitely sounds like it’s finally happening.” He picks up his tea and takes a sip, nearly spitting it all over poor Cassandra’s desk as it nearly scalds his tongue. Vax sputters and puts it down, Cass smirking at him as he picks up a napkin and wipes his mouth.

“Careful there,” she says.

Vax shoots her a dirty look and her smirk deepens. After a moment he drops it and sighs. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Percival tried to ask her too. He’s been getting more than a little edgy over the past few weeks. Well, it doesn’t help that he’s been waiting for the ‘right moment’ and driving himself insane because of it.”

She snorts. “That sounds like my brother, alright.”

“He just needs to get the damn words out and he’ll be fine,” he says with another deep sigh.

“So,” Cass says, tapping at her teacup with her spoon. “Who do you think will break and ask first?”

There’s a long pause before they both simultaneously say, “Vex.”

They smile at that.

“They’re both ridiculous,” Cass says with a sigh of her own, and Vax hums in agreement.

“Idiots.” He blows on his tea before he takes another sip, the words more than a little fond. “The word you’re looking for is ‘idiots’.”

Vax falls into companionable silence with his sister-in-law.

**Author's Note:**

> folks i have been sitting on this fic for MONTHS and only just got around to finishing it after the timeskip. anyways, i don't always want a super domestic married life with children for my ships, but i think these two have definitely earned it. **edit:** i just had to add the canon divergence tag to this fic but i don't even fucking care they're MARRIED


End file.
